A DVD loaded with free software programs was included with your Canon digital SLR camera. You can perform all manner of tasks with this software - import pictures onto your desktop, file your images, edit your pics. If you lost your disc, you can replace the software using this post. It's not quite quite as good as having access to the full set of Adobe's image manipulation and sorting software, but it also doesn't cost more than a thousand bucks. Free is the best.
EOS Capture Utility. You can hook up your camera to your PC and control it remotely using the EOS Utility. You can use your desktop to have a live preview from your camera. You can alter each of the specs with your computer. You can capture images, and have the pictures saved on the computer in lieu of or in addition to the SD card. There are a lot of cool ways to utilize Canon EOS Utility.
Digital Photo Professional. Digital Photo Professional (DPP) allows you to process RAW images and edit pics. Everything that you could perform with Lightroom or Photoshop - i.e. curves, white balance, etc - can be accomplished with DPP. It’s not as powerful as either Lightroom or Photoshop, but if don't wan't to dump hundreds of dollars into the Adobe suite you can begin with this free Canon software. Photoshop costs a lot of cash, and Lightroom ain't free either. Download Digital Photo Professional and get started with that.
Picture Style Editor. The Picture Style Editor is an alternative RAW image editing tool that let’s you change color settings and then add them to other RAW files. It's awesome for batch processing RAW images. Install PSE yourself and play around with it to learn all that it can do.
Zoombrowser EX. Canon Zoombrowser EX is an organizational tool. It enables you to copy your pictures from your camera and store them on the desktop. You can order and view pictures, and you can also do some simple editing stuff. Install Zoombrowser EX to find out all that it can do for you.
These utilities can be very useful, especially if you haven't invested in professional level software. Use the free stuff you have access to, and if you instinctively threw out your Canon utilities DVD read this post to help you download and install each of the software for free.
02/17/2012
Gratis Photo Editing Software from Canon
01/22/2012
Weighing Canon dSLRs Based on Infrared Flash Uses
If you're about to be doing any amount of people photography, then ultimatley you will have to learn how to use off-camera flash. Making use of some flashes, a few light modifiers, and crafting the light in your scene will ultimately create much better work than only using existing light.
Does this create any issues to think about? First, you need to own the lights, and that is some money. Next, you have to have a method to set off those lights without wires. At the time you first try out strobist style photography, this other thing can be quite confusing and scary.
In the past, this wasn't a normal option on Canon digital SLRs. You would need to invest in some equipment – either the name brand Canon infrared transmitter, an expensive as hell set of pocket wizards, or a few cheap off brand triggers. When I first started experimenting with flashes along with my Canon EOS Rebel t1i, I had to order a few radio triggers. It didn’t include a built in commander flash.
The pattern lately, however, has been for Canon to offer a pop up commander flash on a lot of its latest digital cameras. So which Canon digital cameras come with the capability to set off lights?
The newest model in any of Canon’s groups includes a pop up commander flash. Which means that the Canon EOS t3i , the Caon 60D, and the Canon EOS 7D will all work. On any of these SLR cameras, the on camera flash can be used as a commander flash, and it will without wires fire the rest of the flashes in the set up. The pop up flash sets off to put out this command, but the power output of this initial flash is low enough that it shouldn’t change the brightness of your image (unless of course you plan for it to and you raise the power).
Older cameras, like the Canon Rebel t2i 550D and the Canon 50D, don’t come with this ability. The higher end Canon digital SLR cameras, like the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 1D Mark IV, don’t come with on camera flashes at all, though. So these cameras don’t include that capability either. But then again, if you’re dropping upwards of $2k on a digital camera, it isn't a huge issue to pay a few hundred bucks on a Canon ST-E2 IR transmitter.
If you’re still comparing the Canon t2i vs t3i, then this is a good reason to choose the more recent camera. If, however, you’re confused choosing between the Canon EOS 60D vs 7D, this isn’t gonna be much help. They’ve both got the same features for flashes.
01/17/2012
Comparing the Canon t1i, t2i, and t3i Image Resolution
So you're in the market for a digital camera. You're comparing a Canon t1i, a Canon t2i, or a Canon t3i. Which one sis right? One measurable specification you might think about is the devices number of pixels. Which of them has the best camera resolution?
The Canon t2i and t3i collectively hold a slight edge if you consider resolution. They have a 18 MP res, yet the Canon t1i has just 15 megapixels.
Does this push you one way or the other? I don't think so. Often, approximately eight megapixels is more than enough. Anything on top of that is wasted.
A typical 4x6 photo, printed at 300 ppi, calls for about 1200 x 1800 pixels. That's a tad over two megapixels. A fuller, 8x10 image calls for 2400 x 3000 pixels. That's roughly 7.2 megapixels. Unless you're going to be making large pooster prints, you'll never going to make us of all the data held in those extra pixels.
There are some other explanations for why you would want to step up from the Canon t1i to a better camera - like a Canon t3i, or a Canon 60D or 7D. Still, image size ain't really a valid reason. The step up here is negligible. Interestingly enough, the lot of these cameras (the t2i/550D, the t3i/600D, the 60D, and the 7D) all are built on the same processor, giving them precisely the same resolution and image quality.
If you’re looking for a more complete look at all the cameras, I’ve written an in depth review of the Canon t2i vs t3i. Peruse that for a analysis how the three digital SLRs are similar and not alike. If you're shopping for a camera, you would also want to read yet another complete analysis about the differences between the Canon t3i vs 60d vs 7d.
